City of Helsinki
Helsinki introduced carbon footprint criteria for procurement
The City of Helsinki explored ways to mitigate climate change through procurement. In nine procurement cases, efforts were made to incorporate low-carbon and other environmental
and responsibility aspects as effectively as possible into the procurement process. These examples examined how carbon footprint calculations can be applied across different procurement categories and what criteria can be established for carbon footprints. The review included procurement in building construction, infrastructure development, asphalting, food and catering services, and workwear.
The aim was to help procurers understand the role of carbon footprint calculations and the opportunities and challenges they present for setting climate criteria in procurement. Successful procurement pilots were underpinned by active market dialogue and collaboration with businesses, research institutions, and other municipalities and cities. In the “Design and Build” contract for wooden apartment buildings, providers calculated the carbon footprint of their plans during the bidding phase, which was scored as part of the tendering process. In the project planning phase for the renovation of residential apartment buildings, the lifecycle carbon footprint, energy consumption based on building use, and lifecycle costs were optimised. In a dense city street environment, emissions calculations guiding street and water management planning were conducted, along with an examination of resource-efficient alternatives.
In road resurfacing contracts, baseline data was collected from contractors during the contract period for assessing the climate impacts of the project. In the procurement of dairy products, the market’s readiness for carbon footprint calculations was assessed, and as part of the tendering process, suppliers were required to provide an action plan for reducing their carbon footprint during the contract period. Similarly, in the procurement of meat products, the market’s readiness for carbon footprint calculations was evaluated, and suppliers were required to submit a plan for reducing their carbon footprint during the contract period. The
responsibility of the restaurant services in the new facility was developed, with an increase in the offering of vegetarian and vegan food, and the carbon footprint of the restaurant services
was assessed.
In the procurement of food services for service homes and senior centres, particular attention was given to developing the monitoring of responsibility criteria in contracts. For workwear
procurement, an assessment was made to determine whether service procurement is a more sustainable option in terms of lifecycle impacts compared to product procurement. Criteria
considering carbon footprints and circular economy principles were added to the procurement process
